The official BBC News app is now available to download for Android devices, bringing with personalisation and sharing features.

The app delivers BBC News stories directly to handsets running Android 1.6 or above but is not yet compatible with Android Honeycomb tablets, Anthony Sullivan, executive product manager for News at BBC Future Media, wrote on the BBC Internet Blog on Wednesday.

Key features of the app include swiping horizontally to move between stories, the option of reading articles in full-screen and with in-story videos displayed, a scrolling news ticker of breaking stories, font size controls, and social options that allow users to easily share stories via social networking sites, SMS or email. The app can also be personalised by allowing users to add and remove categories from the home screen, Sullivan wrote.

The in-story video features are accessible on Android 1.6 — and higher — devices over 3G and Wi-Fi connections. Live streaming of the BBC News channel is also available on Android 2.2 devices and higher.

Since launch the app has been downloaded between five and ten thousand times, according to Android Market figures. It is currently only available in the UK but the BBC said it intends to launch an international version for BBC Worldwide audiences soon.

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